St Athan Development Brief - Vale of Glamorgan · 2017. 8. 21. · Athan”, as a Centre of Excellence that is able to build upon the skilled workforce that already exists in the

St Athan Development BriefJuly 2006

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St Athan Development Brief

July 2006

Executive Summary

• The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is currently promoting the development of the St Athan site as a major centre of excellence in the economy.

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking to provide a streamlined and more efficient training programme for the three Services via a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement under the MoD’s Defence Training Review (DTR).

• Metrix, in association with the WAG, is bidding to bring a major part of this training provision to South Wales and the St Athan site.

• The site at St Athan meets the requirements for delivering a world-class Training Academy alongside the Welsh Assembly Government and WDA’s proposals to create an Aerospace Centre of Excellence.

• Redevelopment at St Athan would provide inward investment and local jobs in an area that has seen recent job losses.

• The Training Academy and the Aerospace Centre of Excellence can be accommodated on the St Athan site and would be complementary.

• Due to the scale of the development being proposed, the proposed Training Academy would be able to incorporate the recently completed Super-Hangar at St Athan and therefore maintain a beneficial use for this building.

• The Training Academy will result in about 4,000 “jobs” being brought to and created on the site, of which about 2.300 will be civilians employed at the Academy, plus another 1,500 new jobs being created outside the site as a result of indirect or induced employment.

• St Athan was the largest station in the RAF in terms of personnel from about 1940 to the end of the millennium and, at its peak, there were 14,000 personnel present on the site, compared to the 10,000 personnel now proposed for the Training Academy.

• It has been calculated that the jobs created within the Training Academy, plus the trainees attending the Academy, will contribute about £58.7 million per annum to the local economy, whilst additional contributions to the local economy will arise as a result of indirect employment, visitors, and the aerospace development on the St Athan site.

• The Training Academy will accommodate the great majority of its living accommodation within the site, with the provision of 6,700 bedspaces, with a further 2,500 civilian and military personnel living outside the site, 90% of which will be civilians working at the Academy.

• As a first step in the planning process for both the Training Academy development and the Aerospace Centre of Excellence, this Development Brief has been produced by Entec UK Limited on behalf of Metrix, in conjunction with WAG and the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

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• In relation to the Training Academy proposal, the key dates for meeting the MoD’s DTR timetable are as follows:

- March 2006 Development Brief to be considered by the Vale of Glamorgan Council

- May 2006 Public Consultation on the Development Brief

- July 2006 Final Development Brief considered by Council

- October 2006 Preferred Bidder Announcement by MoD

- January 2007 Submission of a Planning Application by Metrix for the proposed Training Academy

- May 2007 Target date for the Planning Application to be considered by the Vale of Glamorgan Council

- October 2007 Financial Close on DTR Project with MoD

- January 2008 Commencement on Site

- 2008-2011 Construction on Site

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Contents

1. Introduction, Aims and Status 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 The Aim of the Development Brief 1 1.3 The Status of the Brief 1 1.4 Aerospace Wales St Athan 2 1.5 A New Training Academy 2 1.6 Defence Training Review 2 1.7 The Public Private Partnership Bids 3 1.8 The Metrix Proposal 3 1.9 The WAG Proposals 3 1.10 The Welsh Assembly Government 3

2. Planning Policy Context 5 2.1 National Context 5 2.2 The Development Plan 7 2.3 The UDP 7 2.3.1 UDP Policy on St Athan 7 2.3.2 UDP Policies on Economic Development 8 2.3.3 UDP Policy on Sustainable Practices 8 2.3.4 UDP Policy on Transportation 9 2.3.5 UDP Policy on the Environment 10 2.3.6 UDP Policies on Housing 12 2.3.7 UDP Policies on Sport and Recreation 13 2.3.8 UDP Policy on Waste Management 14 2.3.9 UDP Policy on Community and Utility Services 14 2.4 Supplementary Planning Guidance 15 2.5 The Local Development Plan 15 2.6 Local Transport Plan 16 2.7 Vale of Glamorgan Community Strategy 2003-2013 16

3. Site Information 18

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3.1 The Area 18 3.2 Brief History of St Athan 18 3.3 WAG Involvement with St Athan 19 3.4 Occupation of the Existing Site at St Athan 21 3.5 The Aerodrome 22 3.6 Road Transport Routes to St Athan 22 3.7 Existing Access into the Site 23 3.8 Public Transport 23 3.9 Cardiff International Airport 24 3.10 Planning History 24

4. Requirements for the Training Academy 25 4.1 Introduction 25 4.2 Site Population 25 4.3 Floorspace Requirements 27 4.4 Service Families Accommodation (SFA) 28

5. The Proposals 29 5.1 Introduction 29 5.2 The Design Process 29 5.2.1 Inception Phase 29 5.2.2 Policy Review 29 5.2.3 Consultation with Partners and Stakeholders 30 5.2.4 Context and Site Appraisal 30 5.2.5 Visioning 30 5.2.6 Objectives and Targets 30 5.2.7 Future Proofing 31 5.2.8 Design Development 31 5.3 High Quality Design 31 5.4 The Various Elements of the St Athan Site 32 5.5 Access into the St Athan Site 33 5.6 Access around the Training Academy Site 33 5.7 The Super Hangar 33 5.8 Living Accommodation and Associated Uses for the

Proposed Academy 34 5.9 Service Families Accommodation (SFA) Proposals 34 5.10 Sports and Recreation Areas for the Proposed Training

Academy 36

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5.11 Circulation and Transport within the Academy Site 37 5.12 Aerospace Centre of Excellence 37

6. Impact Assessment and Mitigation Proposals 38 6.1 Transportation 38 6.2 Hydrology 39 6.3 Flood Risk 39 6.4 Landscape and Visual Impact 40 6.5 Ecology 40 6.6 Treescape 42 6.7 Cultural Heritage and Archaeology 42 6.8 Land Quality 43 6.9 Agricultural Land 43 6.10 Noise and Vibration 44 6.11 Air Quality and Dust Appraisal 44 6.12 Economic Impact 44 6.13 Housing Impact 45 6.14 Service Infrastructure in General 45 6.15 Natural Gas Distribution 46 6.16 Potable Water Main and Supply 46 6.17 Fire Main 46 6.18 Foul Water Drainage 46 6.19 Sewage Treatment Works 47 6.20 Surface Water Drainage 47 6.21 Electricity Supply 47 6.22 Telecommunications 47

7. Planning Requirements 49 7.1 Introduction 49 7.2 Planning Obligations 49 7.3 Planning Conditions 50

8. Planning Application Programme 52 8.1 Planning Application Programme 52

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Table 2.1 UDP Policies on Economic Development 8 Table 2.2 UDP Policies on Sustainable Practices 8 Table 2.3 UDP Policies on Transportation 9 Table 2.4 UDP Policies on the Environment 10 Table 2.5 UDP Policies on Housing 12 Table 2.6 UDP Policies on Sport and Recreation 13 Table 2.2 UDP Policies on Waste Management 14 Table 2.2 UDP Policies on Community and Utility Services 14 Table 4.1 Site Population Figures for St Athan Training Academy 26 Table 4.2 Floorspace Requirements for St Athan Training Academy 27 Table 4.3 Service Families Accommodation Demand Analysis 28 Table 8.1 Planning Application Programme 52

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1. Introduction, Aims and Status

1.1 Introduction This Development Brief has been produced by Entec UK Limited for Metrix, the developer of the proposed Training Academy, in conjunction with the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), the landowners of the development site, and the Vale of Glamorgan Council, the local planning authority. Metrix is a consortium of companies that has been formed to bid to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for delivery of part of the Defence Training Review (DTR). The DTR project is a £14 billion Public Private Partnership initiative by the MoD. The PPP Bid to the MoD is supported by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) as complementary to the proposed Aerospace Centre of Excellence at St Athan, in accordance with National Government aerospace policy.

In order to prepare and progress this Development Brief, a series of working groups has been established under a joint steering group consisting of Vale of Glamorgan officers, and representatives of WAG, Education and Learning Wales (ELWa), and Metrix, These Working Groups have been meeting regularly and have discussed planning, transportation, training, and quality of life issues in the context of the St Athan proposals.

1.2 The Aim of the Development Brief The Development Brief is designed to provide a framework for the future development of the St Athan site. The Brief meets a number of aims:

• To outline the proposals for the St Athan site;

• To confirm the relationship of the Training Academy and the Aerospace Wales proposals on the St Athan site;

• To provide a basis for the consideration of any future planning application(s) for the St Athan site.

1.3 The Status of the Brief In accordance with the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s protocol for preparing development briefs, the St Athan Development Brief has been formally considered by the Council’s Cabinet, relevant Committees and full Council. Following Cabinet’s approval of the Draft Brief a public consultation exercise was undertaken, the results of which were reported back to the Council’s Cabinet, relevant Committees and full Council in July 2006. As a result of the consultation process, a number of minor changes were made to the Development Brief. The Development Brief is now adopted for development control purposes and as a consequence forms a significant material consideration in the determination of any future planning application(s) for the site.

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1.4 Aerospace Wales St Athan The site at St Athan has been promoted by WAG, under the title of “Aerospace Wales St Athan”, as a Centre of Excellence that is able to build upon the skilled workforce that already exists in the area. The WAG have consistently supported the aim of regenerating St Athan in order to bring forward what is the principal aerospace development opportunity in Wales. The aim of the regeneration is to:

• Retain and grow jobs within the sector and increase engineering skills;

• Retain the military airfield as a valued asset; and

• Support the aerospace and training sectors in Wales.

The loss of St Athan would have a serious adverse impact on the aerospace and training sectors, in SE Wales, in Wales generally and in the UK as a whole. The recently announced demise of the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) has accelerated the need to identify and successfully encourage development opportunities at St Athan. The WAG completed the acquisition of a 125-year lease of RAF St Athan on 14 August 2003.

1.5 A New Training Academy As part of the delivery of DTR, Metrix is proposing that a new military Training Academy is built at St Athan, alongside the Aerospace Wales development. The Training Academy is to be called “St Athan Park” in recognition of the fact that the new development is based on the concept of a landscaped layout that incorporates significant open space. The development aims to be a major departure from the traditional military establishment, with a view to setting new high quality standards for a world-class training and teaching facility.

1.6 Defence Training Review Under the Defence Training Review (DTR) Rationalisation Programme, the MoD intends to modernise and rationalise elements of the present tri-Service specialist training programme. Currently, specialist training is provided from more than 40 different sites located across the United Kingdom (UK) and, in many cases, on a single Service basis. As a consequence, many of the current training schools are small and inefficient in a situation where there is overlap with the training needs of the three Services.

The WAG recognise DTR as a major opportunity for both Wales and the St Athan site. The DTR proposals complement the WAG’S aerospace development aspirations for the site. Indeed, when DTR was first announced by the MoD, the WAG formed part of a bidding consortium with the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) and private sector partners in order to promote St Athan as a suitable location for the DTR proposals. Whilst this original partnership was selected by the MoD in 2003, the partnership subsequently withdrew from the competition. The WAG is now supporting the Metrix bid on DTR.

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1.7 The Public Private Partnership Bids Under the DTR Rationalisation Programme, the MoD is seeking the successful bidder(s) to provide a streamlined and more efficient training programme for the three Services via a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. In preparation for the Bids, the DTR team produced a “Public Sector Comparator” to help assess the bidders’ proposals for value for money, based upon six benchmark solutions. The six training streams have been arranged into two Packages for the purpose of letting the eventual contracts. Invitations to Tender were issued to the short-list of bidders in November 2004 and the Bids were submitted to the MoD as two separate elements (Package 1 and Package 2) on the 17 October and 14 November 2005. Metrix was one of those bidders and the only bidder for both Packages.

1.8 The Metrix Proposal Only Metrix as a DTR bidder has proposed that the site at St Athan be used to accommodate a new Training Academy. It is proposed that the Academy be built adjacent to the aerospace development proposals by WAG. Metrix has identified the St Athan site, in co-operation with WAG, as capable of providing the major part of the training provision under the DTR Rationalisation Programme. St Athan is seen as the one site in the UK that could deliver the efficiencies being sought by the MoD. In addition, Metrix recognises the many advantages and strengths which the St Athan site offers in being able to provide a modern and efficient new Training Academy on a site which historically has been at the forefront of providing training and a skilled workforce for the Royal Air Force.

1.9 The WAG Proposals In supporting the Training Academy proposals at St Athan, the WAG proposes aerospace development for both civilian and military work, such as the privatised VC10 work and any displaced airside military occupiers, which may include the University of Wales Air Squadron and the Volunteer Glider School. These uses would be able to be accommodated on land alongside the Training Academy and with direct access onto the existing runway.

As with the Training Academy, the WAG’s proposal for the aerospace park will be of significant benefit to the economy of Wales generally and to that of the local area in particular. In addition to jobs created directly by firms developing at St Athan, there would also be new training opportunities and spin-offs for the local economy and supply chains located elsewhere in Wales. The proposals at St Athan would build upon the cluster of aviation-related businesses in South Wales, complementing, for example, those already in existence at Talbot Green (British Airways Avionics), Nantgarw (GE Aircraft Engine Services), and Cardiff International Airport (British Airways Maintenance).

1.10 The Welsh Assembly Government The WDA were fully merged into the Welsh Assembly Government on 1 April 2006, although all the existing functions of the WDA are continuing in the new combined organisation and there has been no disruption to progress on the plans for either the proposed Training Academy or Aerospace Wales. On Wednesday, 9 November 2005, in a Statement on the future of St

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Athan, Andrew Davies, Welsh Assembly Minister for Economic Development & Transport, said,

“The Welsh Assembly Government and Team Wales will continue to work to secure a strong future for St Athan. We will work in close partnership with the MoD and the private sector to attract new high-value developments and investment to the site. St Athan offers a world-class workforce with facilities to match. We have every confidence in its ability to prosper and develop, and this is the very least that the DARA workforce in South Wales deserves.”

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2. Planning Policy Context

2.1 National Context The Wales Spatial Plan sets out the Welsh Assembly Government’s vision for Wales. In the Wales Spatial Plan, the site at St Athan is located within the South East – The Capital Network Region. The Assembly’s overall vision for the area is:

“An innovative skilled area offering a high quality of life – international yet distinctively Welsh. It will compete internationally by increasing its global visibility through stronger links between the Valleys and the coast and with the UK and Europe, helping to spread prosperity within the area and benefiting other parts of Wales.”

More specifically the Assembly aims to,

“Establish the potential and requirement for housing and employment within the area.”

The Wales Spatial Plan recognises the coastal zone as the main economic driver and that its competitiveness needs to be sustained to help raise the economic potential of the rest of the nation. The Plan proposes that the area should function as an overall networked city-region in order to realise its full potential and that an integrated transport system will be a crucial part of that vision.

The Wales Spatial Strategy, “People, Places, Futures”, November 2004, provides a vision for South East Wales which is reproduced at Appendix B.

National planning policy is set out in “Planning Policy Wales”, March 2002, Technical Advice Notes (TANs). The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to sustainable development and “Planning Policy Wales” sets out the Assembly’s main objectives:

• Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone;

• Effective protection of the environment;

• Prudent use of natural resources;

• The maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.

“Planning Policy Wales” also sets out a preference for the re-use of previously developed land, which is defined as “that which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, excluding agricultural or forestry buildings and associated fixed surface infrastructure.” A large part of the St Athan site represents previously developed land in terms of this definition.

“Planning Policy Wales” also sets out the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to building a modern economy for Wales that will have a “broader economic base that provides job opportunities for all and where greater use of modern technology redresses the problems of access and peripherality.” The Welsh Assembly Government’s economic development objectives are to:

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• Enhance the economic success of both urban areas and the countryside, helping businesses to maximise their competitiveness;

• Support initiative and avoid placing unnecessary burdens on enterprise;

• Respect and encourage diversity in the local economy, for example, in rural areas encouraging farm diversification and in urban areas promoting mixed use development;

• Promote the exploitation of new technologies which can provide new opportunities; and

• Ensure that development for enterprise and employment users is in line with sustainability principles, respecting the environment in its location, scale and design.

The Technical Advice Notes (TANs). TANs considered to be of most relevant to the Development Brief are:

• TAN 2 Planning and Affordable Housing - 1996

• TAN 5 Nature Conservation and Planning - 1996

• TAN 8 Renewable Energy - 2005

• TAN 11 Noise - 1997

• TAN 12 Design 2002

• TAN 15 Development and Flood Risk - 2004

• TAN 16 Sport and Recreation - 1998

• TAN 18 Transport - 1998

• TAN 18 Transport - 1998 pt.1

• TAN 18 Transport - 1998 pt.2

• TAN 21 Waste

Of particular importance is TAN12 on Design states in respect of Development Briefs:

“Development or planning briefs to explain how UDP policies should apply to a specific site

The guidance should:

• Set out the vision for a development;

• Be informed by the site and context appraisal;

• State its objective(s) and show how the UDP design policies could be applied to the site;

• Provide basic area and site appraisal, including site constraints and opportunities, soil conditions and infrastructure, existing transport and access;

• Set out the proposed movement patterns, uses, areas, mix of tenures, development densities and other relevant design objectives; and

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• Inspire a high quality of design and take account of consultation undertaken.

Guidance can be illustrated by concept diagrams, building envelope guidelines and three dimensional sketches of building forms and spaces. Prescriptive design and any suggestion of a particular style should be avoided.”

TAN 12 on Design advises that the eventual planning application for a development which has design implications, including infrastructure and changes to landscape appearance, should be accompanied by a planning application Design Statement, which should explain:

• The design principles and design concept;

• How these are reflected in the development’s location, layout, density, scale, detailed design and landscape;

• How the design relates to the site and its wider context; and

• How the development will meet UDP design policies and SPG requirements.

Relevant design issues will be addressed in a Design Statement accompanying a future planning application.

2.2 The Development Plan The development plan for the Vale of Glamorgan is the Vale of Glamorgan Unitary Development Plan (UDP) (1996 – 2011) which was formally adopted on the 18th April 2005.

Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 states that:

“If regard is to be had to the development plan for the purpose of any determination to be made under the planning Acts, the determination must be made in accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise”.

2.3 The Vale of Glamorgan UDP

2.3.1 UDP Policy on St Athan The UDP contains a specific policy on St Athan (EMP 10).

POLICY EMP 10 - RAF ST ATHAN

FURTHER APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENTS IN RESPECT OF RAF ACTIVITY WITHIN THE RAF ST. ATHAN BASE WILL BE FAVOURED PROVIDED THERE IS NO UNACCEPTABLE IMPACT ON LOCAL AMENITY.

The supporting text to Policy EMP 10 states:

5.4.53 The RAF Base at St. Athan provides an important source of employment for the local economy. Appropriate expansion, within the boundaries shown on the Proposal Map, will be supported, subject to environmental considerations.

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Whilst UDP Policy EMP 10 refers to “RAF activity” within the site, DARA was created in 1999 and The WAG completed the acquisition of a lease in 2003. The WAG has plans for creating an Aeronautical Business Park on the St Athan site which will involve the redevelopment and expansion of the overall site.

2.3.2 UDP Policies on Economic Development

Table 2.1 UDP Policies on Economic Development

Adopted Vale of Glamorgan UDP 2005 Policy Relevance to St Athan Development Brief

Policy EMP 2 – Proposals for new business and industrial development will be permitted subject to specified criteria being met.

Policy EMP 2 will apply to the details of future development in connection with the aerospace proposals at St Athan, which is on the existing airfield of previously developed land and where the proposals will accord with the specified criteria.

Policy EMP 3 – Development will be permitted for B2 use (general industry) where the proposals comply with specified criteria.

Policy EMP 3 will apply to the details of future development in connection with the aerospace proposals at St Athan, which is on the existing airfield of previously developed land and where the proposals will accord with the specified criteria.

Policy EMP 4 – Development other than B1 business, B2 general industry and B8 storage or distribution will not be permitted on existing employment sites.

The existing employment areas at St Athan will be protected and enhanced in accordance with the Development Brief proposals.

Policy EMP 5 - Developments involving hazardous substances will be permitted if the proposal is in accordance with certain specified criteria, including avoiding creating an unacceptable risk for health, safety, environmental impact, water resources, amenity, the character of the area, and protected areas.

The details of any elements of either the aerospace business park or the training academy which may involve any hazardous substances will take into account the specified criteria.

Policy EMP 6 – Development will not be permitted which is likely to cause unacceptable pollution or hazards to adjacent uses.

The Training Academy proposals will not cause unacceptable pollution or hazards to the aerospace business park, although uses on the business park will need to have regard to some of the more sensitive uses on the academy site, such as living and teaching areas, although such potential impacts will be minimised by the design and specification standards that the academy will be constructed to.

2.3.3 UDP Policy on Sustainable Practices

Table 2.2 UDP Policies on Sustainable Practices


Policy 2 - Proposals which encourage sustainable practices will be favoured including energy conservation and efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, pollution control, biodiversity and the conservation of natural resources, minimising the need to travel, and high standards of design.

The proposals for both the aerospace business park and the training academy will incorporate sustainable practices such as energy conservation and efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, pollution control, biodiversity and the conservation of natural resources, minimising the need to travel, and high standards of design.

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2.3.4 UDP Policy on Transportation

Table 2.3 UDP Policies on Transportation


Policy 8 - Developments will be favoured in locations which are highly accessible by means of travel other than the private car and which minimise traffic levels.

The St Athan site has access to new and excellent rail services that are likely to continue to expand and improve. Bus services will also be significantly enhanced by the scheme for the area. The self-sufficient nature of the Training Academy is such that the majority wi ll be living on the site and use the services and facilities within the site for most of the time.

Policy TRAN 1 – Land is protected for the airport access road.

The access road will also improve access to St Athan from the M4 Motorway.

Policy TRAN 2 - land will be protected and provision made for the construction of Llysworney bypass, Gileston Old Mill, Boverton relief road, and other schemes.

The Llysworney Bypass scheme will relieve the village of heavy lorry movements from the industrial estates at Llandow that use the B4270 for access to the A48.

A section of the B4265 road between St. Athan and Aberthaw has a sharp bend and the Gileston Old Mill scheme will improve both the horizontal and vertical alignments of the highway at this section.

The Boverton Relief Road will provide a new more direct route into Boverton from the Llantwit Major By-Pass where a narrow sharp corner currently exists.

Policy TRAN 3 – The reopening of the Vale of Glamorgan railway line to passenger services.

The line reopened in 2005 and stations exist at Llantwit Major and Rhoose.

Policy TRAN 4 - Rail stations should include interchange between rail and other modes, including car, bus and cycling.

Llantwit Major and Rhoose railway station provides modern interchange and Park-and-Ride facilities.

Policy TRAN 7 – Land will be protected and provision made for the development of facilities for bus operations including between the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend.

The bus services in and around the St Athan site will be enhanced by the proposal and the infrastructure improved in connection with providing dedicated bus services between the site and the surrounding areas, including the railway stations.

Policy TRAN 8 – Land will be protected and provision made for cycle routes including links with the national and local cycle network and the provision of cycle parking facilities.

Access into and around the St Athan site and development within the site will take account of the need to accommodate cyclists and cycling.

Policy TRAN 9 – Parking provision will be related to the type of land use, its density and location, accessibility to existing and potential public transport facilities, and the capacity of the highway network.

Parking provision will be in accordance with the approved parking guidelines, bearing in mind the special circumstances surrounding the Defence Training Academy.

One of the aims of the UDP is to seek to stem the daily out migration of commuters in order to reduce travel distances, bearing in mind that many residents in the Vale of Glamorgan travel to Bridgend and Cardiff for employment. As a consequence, all the development plan allocations that would help generate additional employment within the Vale of Glamorgan seek to allow existing businesses and new inward investment to develop in order to provide more locally-

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based employment. The development of the St Athan site is able to make a significant contribution towards that UDP objective.

2.3.5 UDP Policy on the Environment

Table 2.4 UDP Policies on the Environment


Policy ENV 1 – Within the countryside, permission will only be granted for development requiring a rural location, appropriate recreational use, the re-use or adaptation of existing bui ldings, and development under other policies.

The Training Academy proposals include recreational uses, whilst the bulk of the building development associated with the aerospace business park and the Training Academy is on the existing airfield and previously developed land.

Policy ENV2 – The best and most versatile agricultural land (grades 1, 2 and 3a) will be protected from irreversible development, save where overriding need can be demonstrated. Non agricultural land or land of a lower quality should be used when development is proposed, unless such land has a statutory landscape, nature conservation, historic or archaeological designation which outweighs agricultural considerations.

The proposals at St Athan are predominantly on non-agricultural land, but those parts of the development that extend on to agricultural land where surveys have been undertaken are on grade 3b.

Policy ENV 4 – New development within or closely related to the following Special Landscape Areas (SLA) will be permitted where it can be demonstrated that it would not adversely effect the landscape character, landscape features or visual amenities of the SLA.

The SLA lies to the east of Cowbridge Road and only those parts of the site to the east of this road are within the SLA. These are the sports and recreational facilities and an outdoor defence training area.

Policy ENV 5 - The special environmental qualities of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast will be conserved and enhanced, and treated as a remote zone with priority being given to agriculture, landscape and nature conservation.

The St Athan site is outside, but close to, the inland boundary of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.

Policy ENV 7 – River, other inland waters and underground water resources will be safeguarded. Development will be permitted where it would not have an unacceptable effect on the quality or quantity of water resources, or on the amenity interests related to such waters, or be potentially at risk from flooding, or increase the risk of flooding.

The detailed proposals will be designed to ensure that the development will not be at risk from flooding, or increase the risk of flooding elsewhere. The underground water resources will be safeguarded and improved through current remediation measures on the site.

Policy ENV 10 - Measures to maintain and improve the countryside, its features and resources will be favoured, particularly in the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, areas of high quality landscape, and areas subject to development pressure and/or conflict such as the urban fringe.

The proposals will include major landscaping of the area in contrast to the very open and exposed appearance of the existing airfield. The St Athan site is outside, but close to, the inland boundary of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast.

Policy ENV 11 – Development will be permitted if it does not unacceptably affect features of importance to landscape or nature conservation, including, trees, woodland, hedgerows, river corridors, ponds, stone walls and species rich grasslands.

The proposals are largely contained on the existing airfield and previously developed land, but where features of importance to landscape and nature conservation are present, development will seek to avoid and accommodate such features to ensure that no features are unacceptably affected. New ponds will be created around the site as part of nature conservation measures and enhancement that is planned for the site.

Policy ENV 12 - The improvement, management and extension of woodland, tree cover and hedgerows, particularly of broadleaf native species, will be favoured,

The development proposals will result in extensive landscaping across the site and the creation of a “St Athan Park” within the Training Academy. The detailed

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proposals will aim to makes a significant improvement to the landscape on and around the airfield, help to diversify and extend wildlife habitats, and add to recreational and educational opportunities.

Policy ENV 13 – International sites which are designated or potential ramsar sites, special protection areas or special areas of conservation will be protected and development likely to have an adverse effect on such sites will not normally be permitted.

There are no international sites which are designated or potential ramsar sites, special protection areas or special areas of conservation, but careful regard will be had to any possible effects that might be caused as a consequence of the proposals and any necessary mitigation measures that may be required at the detailed design stage.

Policy ENV 14 – Development likely to have an adverse effect on the conservation value of a national nature reserve, or a site of special scientific interest, will not normally be permitted.

There is no national site of nature conservation importance designated on the site, but careful regard will be had to any possible effects that might be caused as a consequence of the proposals and any necessary mitigation measures that may be required at the detailed design stage.

Policy ENV 15 – Development and land use change likely to have an unacceptable effect on a local nature reserve, a regionally important geological / geomorphological site, or a site shown to be of importance for nature conservation will not normally be permitted.

There are no non-statutory designated sites for nature conservation within the site boundary. There are, however, a number of non-statutory designated sites in the wider area, known as candidate Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (cSINCs), If development is permitted, appropriate conditions or agreed planning obligations will be used to ensure the impact on nature conservation is minimised.

Policy ENV 16 – Permission will only be given for development that would cause harm to or threaten the continued viability of a protected species if it can be clearly demonstrated that there are exceptional circumstances that justify the proposals, there is no satisfactory alternative, and effective mitigation measures are provided by the developer.

Three emergency water supply tanks located on the airfield support a breeding population of great crested newts which will need to be captured and translocated in order to accommodate the Training Academy development. In addition a number of surrounding ponds, including Batslays farm on the south side of the airfield, also support great crested newts. The capture and translocation of the great crested newts will require a licence from the Welsh Assembly. An agreed mitigation strategy is currently being devised for the site with the Countryside Council for Wales which will involve the creation of ponds suitable for the translocation of the newts. This policy will also be complied with in respect of any other protected species affected by the proposals.

Policy ENV 17 - The environmental qualities of the built and historic environment will be protected and development which has a detrimental effect on the special character, appearance or setting of listed buildings, conservation areas, scheduled ancient monuments, sites of archaeological and/or historic interest, and historic parks and gardens will not be permitted.

There are some listed buildings around the site but no conservation areas, scheduled ancient monuments, sites of archaeological and/or historic interest, or historic parks and gardens.. The Training Academy proposals include, subject to the agreement of the landowners, the incorporation and restoration of the old and derelict church building on the south side of Eglwys Brewis Road. The idea would be to restore this listed building and its setting as part of the Training Academy proposals so that the building is provided with a beneficial use that will secure it long-term preservation.

Policy ENV 18 – Where development is likely to affect a known or suspected site of archaeological significance, an archaeological evaluation should be carried out at the earliest opportunity and may be required before the proposal is determined.

There are no designated Scheduled Monuments on the site. There is some potential for the presence of further features within previously undisturbed parts of the site. It will therefore be necessary for further development to be preceded by appropriate archaeological investigation, in consultation with the Glamorgan/Gwent Archaeological Trust and the Local Planning Authority, in order to ensure that any further features can be appropriately recorded.

Policy ENV 19 – Where development is permitted which affects a site of archaeological importance, archaeological mitigation measures will be required to ensure preservation on site or adequate recording prior to disturbance.

Should any archaeological features of importance be discovered on the site, either preservation will be ensured, or the feature will be recorded prior to disturbance.

Policy ENV 24 - Open spaces which are important for The proposals will create a network of green spaces and

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amenity, recreation and/or nature of conservation should be conserved and enhanced and a network of green spaces and appropriate tree planting and landscaping schemes created.

appropriate tree planting and landscaping schemes within the development, including conserving, enhancing and creating open spaces which are, or will be, important for amenity, recreation and/or nature of conservation.

Policy ENV 26 - The redevelopment of contaminated land and unstable land will be permitted where the contamination and/or instability will be removed or reduced to a level where there is no unacceptable risk to health, safety and the environment.

The WDA has confirmed that remediation work will have been completed prior to construction commencing on site. The MoD has also indicated that the site is free of munitions. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the removal of contaminants and munitions from the site, a watching brief will be undertaken during construction in order to certify that any discoveries are safely removed and do not cause delays to the construction programme.

Policy ENV 27 – Proposals for new development must have full regard to the context of the local, natural and built environment and its special features and new development will be permitted where it meets specified criteria.

The detailed proposals for the site will be accompanied by a design and access statement. The aim of the proposals will be to significantly enhance the site with its buildings and open spaces, provide appropriate amenities and facilities, provide adequate provision for waste management, minimises any detrimental impact on adjacent areas, provide new soft and hard landscaping features, provide for public transport, cyclists, pedestrians and people with impaired mobility, have regard to energy efficiency in design, layout, materials and technology, and have regard to crime prevention.

Policy ENV 28 - Development open to the public and buildings used for employment and education purposes will be required to provide suitable access for customers, visitors or employees with mobility difficulties.

The proposals will incorporate measures and details that will provide for people with mobility difficulties.

Policy ENV 29 – Development will not be permitted if it would be liable to have an unacceptable effect on either people’s health and safety, or the environment.

Proposals on the site will need to avoid an unacceptable level of pollutants being released into water, soil or air, either on or off site, or from smoke, fumes, gases, dust, smell, noise, vibration, light, or other polluting emissions.

2.3.6 UDP Policies on Housing

Table 2.5 UDP Policies on Housing


Policy HOUS 2 - Housing infill, small-scale development and redevelopment which meets the criteria listed in Policy HOUS 9 will be permitted within certain specified urban and rural settlements, including the urban settlement of Llantwit Major and the rural settlements of St. Athan, Eglwys Brewis, Llanmaes, and Rhoose.

Favourable consideration will also be given, outside green wedges, to small-scale development which constitutes the “rounding off” of the edge of settlement boundaries where it can be shown to be consistent with the provisions of Policy HOUS 9 and particularly criterion (i).

Service families accommodation is required as affordable housing for key workers at the Training Academy. The exact requirement and how it may be delivered will not be known until the time of construction. However, there is potential to provide such housing in the form of a new housing estate close to St Athan is indicated in the Brief on land to the north of St Athan village, adjacent to the existing housing estate at Flemingston Road. The site has housing to the north and west, with open countryside to the south and east, and includes the area between the existing housing estate and the western boundary of the Special Landscape Area.

Policy HOUS 3 - The erection of dwellings in the countryside will not be permitted unless such developments can be justified in the interests of agriculture or forestry.

Policy HOUS 8 - Subject to the provisions of Policy HOUS 2, development will be permitted which is within or closely related to the defined settlement boundaries

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provided that it meets all the criteria of the policy.

Policy HOUS 13 – In the case of an identified local need for affordable housing, the development of a limited number of additional sites will be permitted if all the policy criteria are met.

2.3.7 UDP Policies on Sport and Recreation

Table 2.6 UDP Policies on Sport and Recreation


Policy REC 2 - The council favours proposals which result in wider use by the community of existing recreational facilities in order to meet the recreational needs of the plan area.

The Training Academy proposals involve the provision of significant new sport and recreation facilities, which will be designed and made available to the wider community wherever possible and where compatible with security considerations.

Policy REC 3 – Within residential development, open space at a standard of 2.43 hectares per 1,000 projected population will be sought in accordance with the following guidelines:

Children’s playing space – 0.6 – 0.8 hectares per 1000 projected population

Outdoor sport – 1.6 – 1.8 hectares per 1000 projected population

In assessing the requirements of individual developments the open space sought will be assessed in the light of existing provision in the locality.

The identified potential site to the north of St Athan village, adjacent to the existing housing estate at Flemingston Road, is able to provide open space as appropriate in connection with Policy REC 3 and 6.

Policy REC 4 - Recreation proposals which include provision for the needs of the disabled and elderly will be favoured.

The Training Academy proposals will include recreation provision for the needs of the disabled and the elderly as appropriate.

Policy REC 6 – Children’s play facilities will be in new development at a standard of 0.2 – 0.3 hectares per 1000 projected population (this provision falling within the requirements for children’s playing space 0.6 – 0.8 hectares per 1,000 projected population as set out in policy REC 3).

The identified potential site to the north of St Athan village, adjacent to the existing housing estate at Flemingston Road, is able to provide open space as appropriate in connection with Policy REC 3 and 6.

Policy REC 7 – Proposals for new sport and leisure facilities outside existing town and district centres will be permitted if all of the criteria specified in the policy are met.

In connection with the proposals for new sport and leisure facilities associated with the Training Academy:

(i) the proposals will not undermine the vitality, viability and attractiveness of town or district centres or proposed developments at Barry Waterfront;

(ii) the proposals are an integral part of the academy site and its security and there are no suitable town, district or edge of centre sites and in the case of out of town / district proposals, there are no suitable town, district, edge of centre or out of centre sites (the sequential test);

(iii) the proposals will not have an unacceptable effect on the achievement of an acceptable supply of business /

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industrial land as identified in policies EMP 1 and 2;

(iv) the proposals will be well connected to the main road network and public transport bus services in order to meet the needs of the non car traveller;

(v) the highway network is capable of accommodating the traffic generated by the proposal without an unacceptable effect on traffic flows and patterns, safety, energy use or other emissions;

(vi) the proposals will meet the Council’s approved parking guidelines;

(vii) adequate utility services exist, are reasonably accessible, or can be readily and economically provided;

(viii) the proposals do not result in the loss of grades 1, 2 or 3a agricultural land or have an unacceptable effect on areas of archaeological, ecological or wildlife importance or landscape protection; and

(ix) the proposals will have no unacceptable effect on the amenity and character of existing or neighbouring environments by virtue of noise, traffic congestion, exacerbation of parking problems or visual intrusion.

Policy REC 12 – The Council will be maintaining and improving existing public rights of way and land will be protected and provision made for the establishment of routes as a framework for a network of linkages for the enjoyment of the countryside, including the development of the disused railway line between Aberthaw / Cowbridge / Pontyclun, including the provision of a cycle route.

The disused railway line between Aberthaw and Cowbridge runs outside, but adjacent to, the Development Brief site and therefore does not affect the recreational route.

2.3.8 UDP Policy on Waste Management

Table 2.2 UDP Policies on Waste Management


Policy 13 - Development proposals which encourage sustainable principles for waste disposal based on a hierarchical approach of will be favoured.

The proposals will encourage sustainable principles for waste disposal based on (i) waste minimisation / avoidance; (ii) re-use of water; (iii) waste re-cycling or recovery; and (iv) waste disposal landfill with minimal environmental impact.

2.3.9 UDP Policy on Community and Utility Services

Table 2.2 UDP Policies on Community and Utility Services


Policy COMM 5 and 6 – The UDP contains policies for The proposals will incorporate renewable energy features

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renewable energy schemes, including proposals for individual wind generators.

as appropriate and in accordance with Policies COMM 5 and COMM 6.

2.4 Supplementary Planning Guidance The Vale of Glamorgan Council has produced a number of documents that provide non-statutory Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on a number of issues. The approved SPGs include:

• Amenity Standards

• Trees and Development

• Affordable Housing

• Model Design Guide for Wales – Residential Development

• Parking Standards

• Sustainable Development

Other SPG that the Vale of Glamorgan Council intends to approve include:

• Planning Obligations

• Access for Disabled People

• Public Art

• Design in the Landscape

2.5 The Local Development Plan The Vale of Glamorgan Council will be preparing a new development plan for its area which will be referred to as the Local Development Plan (LDP).

The LDP is to be prepared under the provisions of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, which received Royal Assent on the 13th May, 2004. Part 6 of the Act contains clauses specific to Wales that set out the framework of the new LDPs. These new plans will replace the existing Unitary Development Plans.

In accordance with the new powers under the Act, the National Assembly for Wales has published the Town and Country Planning (Local Development Plan) (Wales) Regulations 2005, which set down the statutory procedures for Local Planning Authorities when preparing and adopting their LDPs.

The first step in the new process will be the preparation by each Local Planning Authority of a Delivery Agreement (DA), which will set out the timetable for the adoption of their LDP. The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s DA was presented to Council in July 2006. Each Authority is required to submit its DA to the Welsh Assembly Government by 31st July 2006.

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Once the DA has been agreed by the Welsh Assembly Government, the Council will commence work on the LDP, which will consist of the following stages, as prescribed in the Regulations. Pre-deposit participation on the LDP;

• Pre-deposit public consultation;

• Making and consideration of representations;

• Deposit of LDP proposals;

• Making and consideration of representations;

• Representations on site allocation representations;

• Submission of the deposit LDP to the National Assembly for Wales for Examination;

• Publication of the recommendations of the person appointed to carry out the Examination; and

• Adoption of the LDP by the Local Planning Authority.

The Vale of Glamorgan LDP will cover the plan period from 2011 to 2026. However, until such a time as the LDP is adopted by the Council, the UDP will remain the development plan for the Vale of Glamorgan.

2.6 Local Transport Plan The Local Transport Plan 2001/2 – 2005/6, August 2000, cross refers to a number of the proposals and policies in the adopted UDP, including reference to the design of the Airport Access Road, and the three local highway improvement schemes of Llysworney Bypass, Gileston Old Mill, Boverton Relief Road in UDP Policy TRAN 2. In particular, the Local Transport Plan includes reference to Green Transport Plans, bus and rail initiatives, and cycling and walking measures.

2.7 Vale of Glamorgan Community Strategy 2003-2013 The Vale of Glamorgan Community Strategy 2003-2013 sets out how the local community want the Vale to look in the future and identifies priorities for action leading towards that vision.

One of the priorities for action on economic regeneration is to encourage inward investment and

support local business development. The strategy seeks to:

• Raise the profile of ‘regional showcases’ such as St Athan airfield.

• Increase the number of job opportunities in sectors such as aviation.

• Develop the Vale’s potential as a location for film and media production.

• Provide appropriate information services and assistance to those considering investing or visiting the Vale.

• Reduce long term unemployment and increase economic activity rates.

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• Increase community enterprise activity in areas of greatest deprivation.

• Upgrade the infrastructure and environment in established and new employment areas.

To achieve these aims, organisations such as the Vale of Glamorgan Council, the WAG, the South East Wales Economic Forum / Capital Wales, Business in Focus, Vale European Partnership, DARA, and Education for Life in Wales have been identified in the document as playing a key role.

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3. Site Information

3.1 The Area St Athan is within the administrative area of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, which a single-tier unitary authority that delivers all the main local government services for the area. The Vale of Glamorgan has a population of around 120,000.

The main settlements in the area are Barry, with a population of about 47,000, and Penarth with a population of about 21,000. A short distance further to the east is Cardiff (population of over 300,000), while to the west is Bridgend (population of just under 130,000).

There is a close functional relationship between Cardiff and its immediate neighbouring towns, such as Barry and Penarth. This is a relationship that extends along the coastal strip, through St Athan to Bridgend.

To the immediate west of the St Athan site is the town of Llantwit Major, which has a population of about 12,000 and is served by regular bus and train services. To the immediate east of the site are the small settlements of Eglwys-Brewis, Flemingston and St Athan, whilst to the immediate north-west is the village of Llanmaes.

The Vale of Glamorgan offers a high quality environment that provides a choice between urban and rural areas in which to live. In addition to the attractions of the main towns of Barry and Penarth, the charm and character of many of the areas towns and villages, coupled with their proximity to Cardiff, contributes to the popularity of the Vale of Glamorgan as a place to live and work. Llantwit Major, for example, is notable for its medieval street pattern, for its unspoiled countryside setting and for the numerous buildings of architectural and historic interest. Evidence suggests that a settlement has existed in the vicinity of Llantwit Major since the Iron Age.

3.2 Brief History of St Athan RAF St Athan was purchased in 1936 and the airfield opened in 1938 as a training centre. St Athan was the largest station in the RAF in terms of personnel from about 1940 to the end of the millennium, and enclosed an area of about 405 hectares with a 9.6 kilometre perimeter boundary.

From the start, the site has been the home of No 4 School of Technical Training (4STT) which provided trained technicians for ground engineering and which still remains to today the most important component of RAF presence on the site. As St Athan grew in size and importance, it became the base for many units. By 1942, 19,000 RAF and WAAF airframe and engine fitters and mechanics had been trained at St Athan. At its peak, there were 14,000 personnel present on the site. The site also contained 7 NAAFI Institutes, 7 churches, numerous rest rooms, information rooms and reference libraries, 60 acres of sports fields (15 soccer pitches, 4 rugby pitches, 8 hockey pitches, and 4 cricket pitches), and 2 outdoor rifle ranges.

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Numbers of aircrew on the station varied over the years, but, between mid-1942 and mid-1944, there were some 5,000 trainee flight engineers on site at St Athan. Between 1941 and 1951, some 22,599 British, Commonwealth and allied force flight engineers were trained at 4STT and passed through St Athan.

In February 1955 the decision was made to form a Boy Entrant School at St Athan teaching youngsters in airframes, armament, engines, electrical, general instruments, mechanical transport, sheet metal, turning, welding, carpentry, safety equipment and draughting skills. St Athan was chosen to supplement Cosford because it possessed suitable domestic and technical accommodation, spacious sports grounds, a swimming pool, and gymnasium, etc. The scheme transferred to Halton in 1965, but not before 7,000 youths had completed their training at St Athan.

In 1958, RAF St Athan was used by the 1,500 athletes and team officials of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games that were being held at Cardiff, Barry and Snowdonia. St Athan was used as a base as it offered excellent sports training facilities.

A Driver Training School was established in the 1970s and, until its closure in 1993, the school trained many thousands of Service drivers on 13 designated routes around the local area with a throughput of approximately 4,000 trainees per annum. The daily presence on the local roads of a range of vehicles, from small cars to cranes and fire engines, was accepted by local residents. Associated training included load and load restraint courses, MT managers’ courses, and post graduate elements, such as night driving, motorway driving, etc. Alongside the 150 or so instructors, there was an in-house cadre of examiners.

Aircraft maintenance has been carried out on the St Athan base by a highly trained and skilled workforce of RAF and RN fixed-wing aircraft, including Tornados, Harriers, Sea Harriers, Jaguars, Hawks and VC10's. The work on the base has also involved the repair and overhaul of aero engines and mechanical and structural components, as well as providing design and manufacturing expertise.

St Athan has remained as the only aircraft maintenance unit in the RAF. In 1999, the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) was formed as a single one-stop shop for aircraft maintenance, by combining RAF and RN aviation repair with some 2,000 personnel, continuing the long tradition of fixed wing maintenance and repair on the St Athan site.

3.3 WDA Involvement with St Athan In 2000, the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) requested the assistance of the WAG to find the Agency a new base in view of the fact that St Athan was scheduled for closure by MoD. In order to assist DARA to relocate into a new efficient and commercially viable facility and to promote new aerospace development on the remainder of the site, WDA completed the acquisition of a 125-year lease (with an option to acquire the freehold) of RAF St Athan on 14 August 2003, leasing parts of the site back to the MoD for the development of specific users, including DARA.

Under a unique partnering arrangement between the MoD and the former WDA, with the support of the Welsh Assembly Government, Project Red Dragon was established at St Athan to promote three principal elements:

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• Rationalisation of the MoD’s continued requirements for the site by replacing outdated facilities and site infrastructure at St Athan;

• The building of a state-of-the-art aircraft maintenance facility for DARA; and

• The creation of a world-class aviation business park by the former Welsh Development Agency.

The £80 million aircraft super hangar facility was completed in November 2004, occupied in February 2005 and officially opened in April 2005. However, in September 2005 the MoD announced that it would be transferring all fast jet work to RAF bases at Cottesmore and Marham and that DARA would cease operation at 1 April 2007. The VC10 part of the business is to remain at St Athan after being put to the market in June 2006 for private sector acquisition. Of particular concern, however, to the economic health of the area is the potential loss of the bulk of DARA`s highly skilled workforce.

Following the MoD’s decision, a joint high level steering group was set up by the Welsh Assembly Government, and the MoD to encourage new aerospace or other complementary uses for the super hangar building. The WAG has also been actively involved for some time in promoting St Athan as a possible location of some, or all, of the DTR elements.

Since the time of the acquisition of the MoD leasehold, the WDA has been developing plans for creating an Aeronautical Business Park on the St Athan site involving the redevelopment and expansion of the RAF site. Utilising the existing skills base and training institutions of the successful aerospace maintenance sector, the WAG’s intention has been for Aerospace Wales St Athan to offer the facilities and infrastructure needed by manufacturers, suppliers, service providers and trainers to the aviation sector, with particular focus on Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO).

The WAG see the development of “Aerospace Wales St Athan” for a Centre of Excellence as crucial to maintaining the existing south and south-east Wales aerospace cluster. The proposals are able to take advantage of the skilled workforce in the area and will complement the Training Academy proposals on the St Athan site, which in turn will provide long term economic benefits for South Wales. The urgent need to provide such opportunities has been significantly increased by the MoD’s decision to transfer DARA’s fast jet work out of St Athan.

In the short term, the WAG, with the active support of MoD, has been working to attract aerospace companies to occupy the older buildings vacated by DARA following their move to the super hangar. The WAG has received approval to a planning notification to the Vale of Glamorgan County Council in respect of the re-use of existing buildings no longer required by MoD. Three companies have already taken up such premises on the site. In addition, MoD has recently leased one of the two DARA main hangars to ATC Lasham, a company carrying out maintenance and repair of civilian aircraft.

Additional land on the periphery of the site, necessary to provide a new access road and round off proposed development areas, has been acquired by the WAG and negotiations are proceeding on other parcels of land. Extensive baseline surveys have been carried out, a remediation programme developed and agreed with the Environment Agency, and transportation studies undertaken as preparation for the submission of planning applications to redevelop the site as a commercial and military aerospace park, involving substantial public and private sector investment.

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The UK Government’s policy statement on ‘The Future of Air Transport’ (December 2003) sets out a strategic framework for the development of airport capacity in the United Kingdom over the next 30 years supports regional aerospace growth and the establishment of a centre of excellence for aircraft maintenance at St Athan.

3.4 Occupation of the Existing Site at St Athan The development site includes the 293 hectares of RAF St Athan, together with additional and adjoining land that has been, or is being, acquired by The WAG. The site is occupied by almost 1,000 structures, including over 230,000 square metres of office, workshop, hangar and storage space, much of which is vacant and some of which is in very poor condition. A considerable proportion of the floorspace on the site has been vacated and handed over to the WAG. Approval has been received by the WAG to a planning notification to the Vale of Glamorgan Council in respect of the re-use of existing buildings no longer required by the MoD.

To the west of the development site, the MoD has retained the freehold of about 40 hectares of West Camp, which is occupied by the Welsh Guards, with approximately 500 to 600 personnel.

The Welsh Guards are about to be replaced with a Special Forces Group in March 2006 which will start at around 700 personnel and then fairly quickly stabilise at around 650, with one third of personnel being on deployment at any one time. It is anticipated that the Special Forces Group will be stationed at St Athan West Camp for 4 to 5 years and will have a Service Families Accommodation (SFA) requirement of around 100 dwellings, which is significantly less than the existing stock at St Athan. The balance of available SFA dwellings will be able to be used in association with the proposed Training Academy, as explained in Section 4.4.

Approximately half the site has been leased back by WAG to the MoD for the moment for a variety of military users on varying periods of occupation, although much of the existing RAF presence on the St Athan site is likely to be subsumed within the Training Academy and another major military unit currently on site (FSFW) is expected to leave St Athan within 2 to 3 years. It is anticipated, however, that the University of Wales Air Squadron (UWAS), the Volunteer Glider School (VGS), S&C Thermofluids (which operates the Adour Testing Rig on behalf of the MoD), and Non Destructive Testing (NDT) will all continue to be accommodated within the overall site.

The new Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) integrated maintenance facility, known as the Super-Hangar, occupies a site of about 40 hectares in the centre of RAF St Athan and currently houses DARA’s head office. The Super Hangar provides over 45,000 square metres of hangar space and 20,000 sq metres of workshop, has a roof span of 66 metres, a working height of 14 metres, and is capable of accommodating 54 fixed wing fast jets, or 6 medium sized transport aircraft.

Adjacent and to the west of the Super Hangar is a 9,750 square metre building known as “Twin Peaks”. In November 2005, ATC Lasham signed a contract to service 26 B737s in the Twin Peaks building, whilst the DARA VC10 maintenance operation moved into the Super Hangar.

Other civilian businesses currently on site are the engine maintenance company of Total Engine Support, Lufthansa Resource Technical Training, who carry out civilian aircraft maintenance training in the buildings at Picketston, and S&C Thermofluids, who run the Adour test rig on behalf of MOD.

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To the east of Cowbridge Road is the golf course, whilst to the west, north and east of the site are three housing estates that were originally built as MoD accommodation. Part of this housing has been sold to private purchasers.

3.5 The Aerodrome The active aerodrome on the site is owned and controlled by the WAG, but is operated as a Government Aerodrome under military regulations and managed by DARA acting as the agent for the WDA. The main operational runway, orientated east-west, is designated RWY 08-26 and is 1,825 metres long and 45 metres wide. Each runway direction has been provided with rotary hydraulic cable arrester gear and overland safety barriers. The site also contains a shorter cross runway, orientated north-south, which is now disused as an operational runway, but is used as a taxiway for taxiing or towing aircraft to and from the maintenance areas, compass swing base and engine de-tuner hard standing.

3.6 Road Transport Routes to St Athan St Athan is approximately 20 kilometres from the M4, to the west of Cardiff, and is accessed via M4 Junction 33 from the east and Junctions 37 to 35 from the west.

Access to St Athan from M4 Junction 33 is via the dual-carriageway A4232 as far as Culverhouse Cross and then via the single-carriageway roads of the A4050, A4226, and B4265. The B4265/A4226/A4050 route also provides access into Cardiff from St Athan.

Access to St Athan from M4 Junctions 37 to 35 from the west is via the A48 to Pentre Meyrick, and then via the B4268/B4270 Llantwit Major Road. With regard to the B4268, the Vale of Glamorgan Council is keen to bid for funds for a bypass on this road at Llysworney village, which is a road that already serves two large employment areas at Vale Business Park and Llandow Trading Estate, 5 kilometres to the north-west of St Athan.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has direct responsibility and authority for transport policy in Wales and a number of transport improvement schemes are being undertaken, or being considered, in South Wales.

The trunking of the A48 is underway, between Culverhouse Cross and Sycamore Cross and along the A4226 (Five Mile Lane) from Sycamore Cross to Cardiff Airport. Orders have been published and, subject to the outcome of a public inquiry due to be held shortly and the completion of the appropriate statutory procedures, the Trunking Order will be made later this year. WAG intends to carry out improvements to the A4226 to widen two narrow sections along this route in order to provide a continuous length of good quality road access from the M4 to Cardiff Airport.

A new direct link road from the M4 to Cardiff Airport is in WAG’s published Trunk Road Forward Programme and consultants will be appointed shortly to take this scheme through the design and statutory processes. This project will proceed whether or not the Training Academy is located at St Athan. However, WAG has indicated that the programme for the road scheme could be accelerated to ensure that the opening of the new road link coincides with the Training Academy development timetable.

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Contracts have also been let for the work to widen the M4 around Cardiff to 3 lanes in each direction. In addition, WAG has announced plans to build a new section of the M4 Motorway around the south of Newport in order to provide for future growth in traffic.

3.7 Existing Access into the Site The current main access to the St Athan site is via the west gate through West Camp. It is anticipated that this access will in future serve only the Army area, which will become a separate secure enclave. The Training Academy and Aeronautical Business Park development at St Athan is to be connected to the B4265 via a new access road and junction as explained later in this document.

3.8 Public Transport The Vale of Glamorgan Council and the WAG re-opened the Vale of Glamorgan Railway line in 2005 following a £17 million investment and an hourly service has been introduced connecting Llantwit Major and Rhoose stations with Cardiff and Bridgend. The line runs between Cardiff Central Station and Bridgend, via Grangetown, Cogan, Eastbrook, Dinas Powys, Cadoxton, Barry Docks, Barry, Rhoose (for Cardiff Airport) and Llantwit Major. Llantwit Major Station is less than 3 kilometres from the St Athan site and the train service from Llantwit Major takes 42 to 51 minutes to Cardiff Central Station.

Llantwit Major railway station is a modern multi modal transport interchange. A dedicated shuttle bus service is to be provided between the Training Academy and Llantwit Major railway station, via the proposed new access road. Regular train services also serve Rhoose Station and the airport link and an additional bus shuttle service could also be provided from Rhoose to St Athan, in particular, in order to connect direct into any improved rail service as described below.

The railway line has the capacity for half hourly services and for all trains to be lengthened from 2 to 5 car sets. Regular connecting services are available from Cardiff Central Station to all parts of Great Britain, including a half-hourly service with a 2 hour journey time to London. Consideration could also be given to providing an additional railway station adjacent to the St Athan site, although it may be unnecessary with a dedicated shuttle bus service serving the existing transport interchanges.

WAG is currently in negotiations with the First Group, who have won the Greater Western Franchise, with a view to extending the hourly Portsmouth Harbour-Cardiff service as far as Rhoose Station, next to Cardiff Airport. Such a service would provide a half hourly service from Rhoose to Cardiff by 2007 and provide direct services to such centres as Bristol, Bath, Southampton and Portsmouth. Local rail services in the Vale of Glamorgan are currently operated by Arriva Trains Wales.

A substantial number of bus routes run from Llantwit Major on a regular basis to Cardiff City Centre, Bridgend, Barry, and Cardiff International Airport.

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3.9 Cardiff International Airport Cardiff International Airport, voted one of the top 10 airports in the world by the Telegraph in 2005, is located 7.5 kilometres from St Athan and has direct flights to 8 UK and 14 international destinations. Current UK destinations from Cardiff include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Newcastle, with an onward service to Aberdeen. Services to Manchester and New Quay begin in April 2005, as will a daily service to Brussels. A twice daily service to RAF Valley is also to be introduced. WAG is currently working with the Airport to further expand the range of destinations directly served, with a particular focus on facilitating scheduled services to North America, Europe and the Middle East, including hubs such as Dubai. The expansion of the Airport services is expected to continue in line with increasing demand and a Route Development Fund has recently been launched in conjunction with the Airport. WAG will continue to work with the Airport and Airlines to ensure that the Airport’s full potential is realised, including taking into account the future demands that may arise from the Training Academy and Aerospace Wales development at St Athan.

3.10 Planning History The applications submitted on the St Athan site that have been dealt with by the Local Planning Authority cover a wide range of development and have been mainly in the form of notifications to the Local Planning Authority under Crown immunity arrangements. However, from later this year, the Planning Acts will apply to the Crown, subject to certain exceptions. The development at St Athan has ranged from small extensions to more major development, such as new single living and married quarters/service families/barrack block accommodation, a new hangar for VC10s, aircraft maintenance buildings, aircraft and aeroengine test facilities, offices, classrooms, dining facilities, medical and dental centre, sports facilities, and store buildings.

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4. Requirements for the Training Academy

4.1 Introduction The requirements for the development reflect the training needs of the facility and the various MoD standards on their military bases. A summary of the requirements are set out below in terms of the proposed number of personnel on the site and floorspace figures for the various types of buildings associated with the Training Academy.

4.2 Site Population The projected site population figures are set out overleaf.

The Training Academy proposals would generate a total site population of just over 10,000 people, of which 6,700 people would be living within the site.

Of the 3,300 who would be working on the site, but living outside, about 1,300 would be estate services and support personnel, about 1,000 would be civilian trainers and personnel on ‘non-project’ units, and a further 1,000 would be military trainers and personnel on ‘non-project’ units.

The estate services / support staff comprise technical workers in addition to staff in catering, retail, cleaning, administration, management etc. Non project units are those military personnel and civilians that are associated with the Headquarters of various regiments.

The trainees will be mainly junior ranks on their Phase 2 or Phase 3 training programmes, or “soldiers awaiting training” (SAWT).

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Table 4.1 Site Population Figures for St Athan Training Academy

Population Live In / Live Out Senior Officers

Junior Officers SNCO's

Junior Ranks Civilians Totals Notes

TRAINEES

Trainees Live In 163 2714 2877 (Ph2)

Trainees Live In 821 821 (SAWT)

Trainees Live In 50 138 902 1226 2316 (Ph 3)

Sub Total 50 301 902 4761 0 6014

TRAINERS

Trainers (Military) Live In 28 35 139 130 332

Trainers (Military) Live Out 27 34 138 129 328

Trainers (Civilians) Live Out 628 628

Sub Total 55 69 277 259 628 1288

ESTATE SERVICES / SUPPORT

ES / Support (Civilian)

Live Out 1296 1296

Sub Total 0 0 0 0 1296 1296

NON PROJECT UNITS

Military Live In 119 incl in SO 136 101 356 Officers incl in Sen Off

Military Live Out 231 339 104 674 Using Revised NPU nos

Civilian Live Out 390 390

Sub Total 350 475 205 390 1420

SUMMARY TOTALS

Total Live In 197 336 1177 4992 0 6702

Total Live Out 258 34 477 233 2314 3316

Total All 455 370 1644 5225 2314 10018

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4.3 Floorspace Requirements

Table 4.2 Floorspace Requirements for St Athan Training Academy

Land Use Area in m2 Bedspaces

JRSLA 141,113 4,913

Church 908

Community Centre 674

Childcare 1,141

HIVE 144

Medical & Dental 4,508

Officers Mess 7,596

Officers SLA 26,668 543

SNCOs Mess 10,996

SNCOs SLA 33,401 1,151

Messing Store (shop) 1,709

P&RTC's 12,008

Pavilion 524

JR Amenity Centre 13,272

Tailor 46

Launderette 150

Cinema 1,400

Bowling alley 1,800

Amusement arcades 400

Existing Technical (DARA) 6,395

New Build Technical & Offices 81,700

External Training (POL, fuels etc) 33,426

TOTAL 379,979 6,607

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4.4 Service Families Accommodation (SFA) An integral part of the requirements for delivering the Training Academy for the MoD is the availability and provision, not only of single living accommodation, but of accommodation for military personnel and their families, known as Service Families Accommodation (SFA). Such housing is not general purpose residential development, but effectively “tied” housing, with strictly controlled tenure, which is only available for rent to service personnel who are allocated the accommodation by the MoD and who are unable to buy or rent in the open housing market. The accommodation is in effect key worker affordable housing.

The demand analysis below demonstrates the family housing need for the Services generated by the DTR proposals at St Athan, which amounts to about 815 SFA units.

Table 4.3 Service Families Accommodation Demand Analysis

Training

Rank of Military Trainers Total Living In (assume 50%)

Living Out (assume 50%)

SFA Required (assuming 75%)

Junior Ranks 352 176 176 132

SNCO's 304 152 152 114

Junior Officers 72 36 36 27

Senior Officers 68 34 34 25

Total of those Training 796 398 398 298

Non-Project Units

Living In Rank Total

Bulmar %

Number (incl. 5%)

Living Out SFA Required (assuming 75%)

Junior Ranks 209 46% 101 108 81

SNCO's 481 27% 136 345 259

Senior & Junior Officers 356 32% 119 237 177

Total on Non-Project Units 1,046 - 356 690 517

TOTAL

Total SFA Requirement (for Trainers and those in Non-Project Units) 815

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5. The Proposals

5.1 Introduction The Welsh Assembly Government, Metrix and MoD are working in co-operation to bring forward proposals for the comprehensive redevelopment of the St Athan site for an aerospace business park and a world-class military Training Academy. The opportunity available at St Athan will enable new purpose-built facilities to be created for both developments. Significant new infrastructure will be provided to service the development, in particular a new access road from the B4265 which will serve both the Aerospace redevelopment and the Defence Training Academy.

The various elements of the proposed development of the St Athan site are explained below and a Masterplan for the proposals accompanies this report.

The description of the proposals starts with an explanation of the design process which has been embarked upon in relation to the St Athan site.

5.2 The Design Process The former Welsh Development Agency published “Creating Sustainable Places” which encourages high standards of design. In connection with the document’s advice on the design process, the plans for the St Athan site aim to deliver a high-quality sustainable development based upon a robust design process. The steps in the design process, as listed in “Creating Sustainable Places”, can be applied to the St Athan situation as follows.

5.2.1 Inception Phase Design teams with a wide range of skills and with considerable experience of such proposals are currently working on both the WAG and Metrix proposals for the St Athan site. The Metrix team has already submitted the proposals to the MoD in connection with the DTR Bids and is continuing to work with the MoD in refining the proposals.

5.2.2 Policy Review The Development Brief sets out the current planning policy context, including relevant national policy; Wales Spatial Plan, Development Plan Policies, Supplementary Planning Guidance, legal/planning constraints, and advice from statutory consultees. A formal Environmental Impact Assessment will be required in view of the scale and potential impact of the development and work has commenced on preparing a Scoping Report for the Metrix proposals as the basis for seeking a scoping opinion from the Local Planning Authority. In addition, baseline information studies have been completed by WAG for the site.

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5.2.3 Consultation with Partners and Stakeholders Consultation with partners, the community and other local stakeholders is essential to arrive at a design solution which people can understand and support. The Development Brief sets out the vision for the site and an opportunity will be provided to enable consultees and the general public to make their views known in order to guide and influence the detailed design for the site.

5.2.4 Context and Site Appraisal The Development Brief sets out the essential features and characteristics of the site, including the context for the proposals. The Development Brief covers a wide range of matters that have been taken into account at this stage and which will continue to be considered throughout the planning process. These matters include information on the site and the potential impact of the proposals, covering such subjects as:

• Transportation

• Hydrology

• Flood Risk

• Landscape and Visual Impact

• Ecology and Biodiversity

• Cultural Heritage and Archaeology

• Noise and Vibration

• Air Quality and Dust Appraisal

• Land Quality

The Development Brief also provides an economic assessment on the implications that the Training Academy proposal would have for the South Wales area and an assessment of the living accommodation implications associated with the proposed Training Academy.

5.2.5 Visioning The Masterplan is based upon a detailed examination of all the requirements that would need to be provided in order to deliver a military Training Academy that went into the Bid and which is continuing to be refined in conjunction with the MoD. The vision for the site is a world-class training and teaching facility, which will make a major contribution to the quality of life in the region, alongside a major aerospace centre of excellence, which builds upon the existing skills that are available in the local workforce.

5.2.6 Objectives and Targets In order for the Training Academy development to be secured for South Wales, it will be necessary to have obtained planning permission by June 2007 under the MoD’s DTR programme.

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5.2.7 Future Proofing The Masterplan is based upon more detailed work on the Training Academy site that has been undertaken by the developer, Metrix, for the Bid submission. This work involved the disposition of buildings and the circulation within the site in order to test in detail how a Training Academy might be designed and accommodated on the land. The Masterplan is therefore based upon a robust analysis of what is needed for a new Training Academy and how it might be accommodated on the St Athan site. However, at this stage, it is important that the Masterplan provides sufficient flexibility for the detailed plans to be prepared and agreed with the Local Planning Authority over the coming mon

Documents

St Athan Development Brief - Vale of Glamorgan · 2017. 8. 21. · Athan”, as a Centre of Excellence that is able to build upon the skilled workforce that already exists in the